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SCOMBROID POISONING, TUNA - VIET NAM
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A ProMED-mail post
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ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Mon 22 Jun 2009
Source: VietNamNet [edited]
<http://english.vietnamnet.vn/Health/2009/06/854230/>
Rotten tuna was the cause of food poisoning that struck down hundreds
of workers between 11 and 13 Jun 2009, Ho Chi Minh City's Health
Department said on 20 Jun 2009. The department collected food samples
from the companies to test immediately after workers got food poisoning.
According to the department, during the recent hot weather quality of
tuna worsened and histamine in the tuna was created, causing severe
physical reactions in people. A large amount of histamine could be
poisonous, the department said. Although the department warned people
that tuna caused food poisoning, city shoppers continued to buy cheap
local tuna.
On 20 Jun 2009, after eating lunch, more than 80 workers at Ha Yen Co
Ltd in My Tho City, Tien Giang Province, were hospitalized with skin
rashes, stomach pains and dizziness. The workers said they had eaten
tuna with bamboo.
One week earlier, more than 350 footwear workers in Ho Chi Minh
City's Thu Duc and Binh Chanh Districts were hospitalized with food
poisoning after eating lunch provided by their companies. More than
170 workers at Minh Nghe Trading and Industrial in Thu Duc District
also presented similar symptoms, with skin rashes, headache, and
dizziness after eating stewed tuna and water morning glory soup and
were rushed to Thu Duc Hospital.
Another 76 workers from Vi An Co. in Tan Phu District and My Hao Co.
in Binh Tan District were hospitalized on 12 Jun 2009 for the same reason.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Scombroid fish poisoning occurs after eating fish with high levels
of accumulated histamine or other biogenic amines. Histamine is
produced and can accumulate when bacterial enzymes metabolize
naturally occurring histidine in fish. This most often occurs when
fish is held at ambient or high temperatures (such as 70 to 90 deg F
/ 21.1 to 32.2 deg C) for several hours, but can occur at more
moderate temperatures (over 45 deg F or over 7.2 deg C). Rapid
chilling of fish immediately after catch is the most effective
measure to prevent scombroid fish poisoning. Fish from the family
_Scombridae_ (such as tuna and mackerel) contain high levels of free
histidine in muscle tissue and are the commonest sources of scombroid
fish poisoning, but other fish (such as mahi mahi, amberjack,
bluefish, abalone, and sardines) also have been implicated.
It should be noted that those taking isoniazid (INH) might have more
significant reactions because of the drug's histaminase inhibition in
the GI tract. (See: Miki M, Ishiwara T, Okayamai H. An outbreak of
histamine poisoning after ingestion of the ground saury paste in 8
patients taking isoniazid in tuberculous ward. Internal Medicine
2005; 44: 1133-6 (available at
<http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/internalmedicine/44/11/1133/_pdf>).
A map of Viet Nam with provinces can be found at:
<http://www.angelfire.com/co/hongnam/vnmap.html>. The interactive
HealthMap/ProMED-mail map with direct links to other outbreaks in
Viet Nam can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/r/008c>. - Mod.LL}
[see also:
Scombroid poisoning, tuna - UK: (Scotland) 20090417.1461
2008
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Scombroid poisoning, tuna - UK: (Scotland) 20081208.3852
2007
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Scombroid poisoning, tuna, 2006 - USA (LA, TN) ex Asia 20070820.2714
2005
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Scombroid poisoning, frozen fish - Israel: recall 20050610.1619
2002
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Scombroid poisoning, tuna - USA (PA): suspected 20020827.5166]
.................ll/ejp/dk
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